MLP:FIM is too predictable

[Champion RD92 8,658]

So I realized that one thing I don't like about the show is that many of the episodes are wayyyyy too predictable. It almost ruins the episodes for me when I can already tell what the ending is gonna be at the very beginning.

 

For example, in the newest episode, I could tell right away that Spike was gonna end up having to give up all those gems that he got at the beginning.

 

Another example is the episode where Rainbow Dash had the competition to see who the best pet was, and it was really obvious that the turtle was gonna end up being the one she chooses.

 

I can't think of any more examples of the top of my head, but I know there were other examples.

 

Do you guys think a lot of the episodes are too predictable?

 

[DoctorWhovian1902 596]

I haven't noticed it too much, but one person I introduced the show to didn't like it for that reason. I said the show got better, but it was in vain.

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

 

For example, in the newest episode, I could tell right away that Spike was gonna end up having to give up all those gems that he got at the beginning.  

 

 

That didn't even cross through my mind, I'm horribly slow about things, i knew that Dashie would end up choosing the turtle TORTOISE, but I was quite surprised at many things people say were obvious xD 

[Swick (ded) 436]

Yeah, they really are. The crew does need to work on that, but they do come up with some pretty original stories for episodes, you have to give them that.

[Scootalove 10,689]

Well sure, the episodes are predictable. I don't think they'll stop the predictable stuff, maybe they will spice things up a bit.

[Jammo 986]

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

Like in the latest Discord episode. Fluttershy had so many moments that relied on her cluing in to Discords manipulation. When she handed Discord her elements, I didn't see that coming.. Then when she turned down getting it back, it threw me for a loop again. It kept the tension high in the episode strong because you just want to scream at the TV "Why did you do that!?"

Edited January 26, 2013 by Jammo

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

Well of course they are predictable, but it my head it's less about the destination and more about the journey. Even if you know the end, you can enjoy the middle

The only cartoon I have ever seen that was not predictable was Family Guy, and that show sucks to an astonishingly high degree... lo

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

Some episodes are like this, but not all. For some reason, Rainbow Dash episodes almost always fall under this category from what I've seen.

[MandelSoft 29]

I second that. I like the show not for what you expect from it, but rather from the things you didn't see coming. Sometimes, you know how it's gonna end, but you wonder how do they work theirselves out of this? This was the case with the Discord episode. You think that it's going a totally different direction, but the situation resolves in a clever way.

 

But yes, the stories can be predictable from time to time...

[Dev 251]

So I realized that one thing I don't like about the show is that many of the episodes are wayyyyy too predictable. It almost ruins the episodes for me when I can already tell what the ending is gonna be at the very beginning.

 

For example, in the newest episode, I could tell right away that Spike was gonna end up having to give up all those gems that he got at the beginning.

 

Another example is the episode where Rainbow Dash had the competition to see who the best pet was, and it was really obvious that the turtle was gonna end up being the one she chooses.

 

I can't think of any more examples of the top of my head, but I know there were other examples.

 

Do you guys think a lot of the episodes are too predictable?

 

Well, just so you know, originally, the show wasn't aimed at us, but rather a more younger audience, so of COURSE it's going to be predictable...to us. Younger kids won't spot it, this is a side effect of being a mature audience. We're nitpicks

 

 

Well of course they are predictable, but it my head it's less about the destination and more about the journey. Even if you know the end, you can enjoy the middle

 

The only cartoon I have ever seen that was not predictable was Family Guy, and that show sucks to an astonishingly high degree... lo

 

I honestly don't see how Family Guy sucks. I enjoy it's crude humour and satire to an astonishingly high degree... ol

[Champion RD92 8,658]

*spoilers below*

 

I will say that in the Magic Duel episode, I truly did not see that ending coming. I didn't guess that Twilight was faking everything, I thought she was really doing all that magic.

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

Well, just so you know, originally, the show wasn't aimed at us, but rather a more younger audience, so of COURSE it's going to be predictable...to us. Younger kids won't spot it, this is a side effect of being a mature audience. We're nitpicks

 

 

 

I honestly don't see how Family Guy sucks. I enjoy it's crude humour and satire to an astonishingly high degree... ol

 

 

Well, just so you know, originally, the show wasn't aimed at us, but rather a more younger audience, so of COURSE it's going to be predictable...to us. Younger kids won't spot it, this is a side effect of being a mature audience. We're nitpicks

 

 

 

I honestly don't see how Family Guy sucks. I enjoy it's crude humour and satire to an astonishingly high degree... ol

 

Family guy is Satire? pointing at a picture of George Bush and saying "This guy really sucks" is not satire, it's something that will make you popular on a middle school basketball court.

[An Old Head 4,816]

I never notice it. I could list plenty of examples, but here are a few:

 

 

 

Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. Once all the other ponies started helping the Apple family, I thought right away that they would just scrape the victory and triumph over the Flim Flam brothers. What I DIDN'T expect was the ending in which the Flim Flam brothers won but were driven out anyway because of their crappy cider. Nor Applejack's total troll letter at the end.

 

 

 

 

 

MMMystery on the Friendship Express, but then again that one specifically wanted to make things unexpected. I thought the other three chefs had sabotaged Pinkie's cake, of course, but I didn't expect Pinkie's friends to have done it. I also didn't expect them to combine all four of their puddings for the contest.

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling Pinkie Keen. Twilight bursting into flames. That is all.

 

 

[Dev 251]

Family guy is Satire? pointing at a picture of George Bush and saying "This guy really sucks" is not satire, it's something that will make you popular on a middle school basketball court.

 

No, that's a mix of both. And I don't see how that isn't funny, because we all know that George Bush Jr was one of the worst US presidents known to man, lol. Remember, this is just full of crude humour. A show doesn't suck if you don't like it.

[XXVYNIKK 145]

You're talking about a cartoon for Pete's sake, or course it's predictable. Since it develops a story plot all mainly from one episode.

 

And Family guy sucks, that's been my thought for ever, the beginning episodes were enjoyable until the newest episodes. All they do is stick in celebrities making jokes,shoving their stupid opinions into skits and dialogue, and making jokes any middle schooler could relate or make up. The show is a comedy, and only that. (even when it's rarely funny.) The jokes are sarcastic, easy to get, and a immature. I loved the first episodes were they only involve a plot, and not hop onto another plot in 5 minutes.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Vinylography

[NavelColt 22,881]

If you want an advanced plot with twists, you should probably watch something that isn't both a cartoon, and aimed for kids. Yes, overall, the grand plot and climax of each episode is often predictable. I watch it for the characters and other aspects, so it doesn't matter if the plots are a bit simple.

[Radiance64 7,053]

It's a kid's show, of course it'll be predictable sometimes. But they have indeed done many smart, unpredictable things- Chrysalis for example, she has to be by far the best plot twist they have ever done, loved that. We'll just have to keep watching to see if they can top that.

Edited January 26, 2013 by SBB64

[MandelSoft 29]

That's indeed the best plot twist in the series and maybe it was also the best episodes. Other good plot twists:

 

 

• SE01EP06: The Dragon turned out not to be evil at all.
• SE01EP23: "A rock?" 'nuff said.
• SE01EP26: Fluttershy snaps. You've seen it coming, but the surprise is the degree. She goes mad!
• SE02EP02: Twilight gets corrupted by Discord. Evil wins!
• SE02EP04: Pinkie Pie isn't really scared of Luna, but merely pretending it.
• SE02EP14: Applejack doesn't return to Ponyville. Didn't see that one coming.
• SE03EP10: Discord at the end. "Well played..."

 

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

No, that's a mix of both. And I don't see how that isn't funny, because we all know that George Bush Jr was one of the worst US presidents known to man, lol. Remember, this is just full of crude humour. A show doesn't suck if you don't like it.

 

Worse than James Buchanan? How is that even possible? Or the worse president of all time Martin Van Buren? Also yes it is a show full of crude humor, which objectively sucks. I am not saying it sucks because I don't like it, I am saying I don't like it because it sucks.

[TheGreatandPowerfulZecora 16]

It doesn't ruin the show at all for me, but yes, they are very predictable. Some parts are really surprising, like Twlights element being magic? Did anypony else think it was going to be friendship?? Anypony?

[Tall_But_Short_37 233]

Many things in this show (such as Tank being the pet chosen by RD) are very obvious to see in retrospect or on your second watch-through. That how it was for me. However, I barely picked up on it rather than just for comedic effect on my first watch through. That one may have just been me being oblivious, but some episodes (Magic Duel, MMMystery On the Friendship Express, Sisterhooves Social) had endings that's came completely out of the blue for me and really caught me off guard. Not every episode needs to have a super secret twist ending, unless that episode was written by M. Night Shyamalan. Some episode's morals lend themselves better to a time-old formula of a plot, and that's alright as well in moderation.

 

Also, you must really remember that this is (in concept) a show for young children. They can't exactly have some super complex plot for every episode, or the younger audience would be completely lost.

 

I personally watch MLP:FiM for so much more than the plot. Even if an episode has a weak or predictable plot, it usually makes up for it in some sense with fantastic animation, music, and backgrounds.

[Freewave 1,145]

I do agree with this. I think season 3 has missed out on hastily assembled endings to many of the episodes and that they are a bit more predictable than before. In some ways just reading the synopsis of mlp wikia gives you too much info on what you are goign to see. Other flaw this season i see is just not having a plot that really makes an emotional connection to an audience. Most of the lessons from the show are getting really vague now because there isn't much to pick up. Epsiodes like Hurricane Fluttershy really gave people some real emotional ties about trying to make a difference in a community with so much talent, having confidence, and pushing through when things get tough. Winter Wrap Up with trying to find out what you are good at, what we can do that makes us unique, and taking part in a community.  Most of the time these prior episodes teach us something about ourselves and i just haven't felt that same spark a lot this season and it makes me sad. It just feels like the community is less inpsired by the show this season as we were when it was new. The writers need to keep surprising us this next season and make sure that the tv show is just as amazing as it used to be or people will eventually get a bit bored with it or not get hooked if they are seeing it for the first time.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Freewave

[Sunny Fox 5,950]

It's very easy to turn around at the end of the episode and say "I knew that was going to happen, it's so predictable." If you want to prove predictability, you have to actually show you predicted it. If you watched the lifestream, and actually made that comment at the beginning, then that will qualify. Also, consider that you probably thought of a dozen different possible endings, and if only one of them actually happened, your hindsight will be biased (in the technical meaning of the term) so that you remember the one you did predict and forget the ones you didn't. Simple psychology. Like if you have a music player, a song ends, and you idly wonder which song is next. A dozen songs might flicker through your mind, and then one of them starts playing. You go, "Wow, I just predicted the next song!" Something similar underlies most superstitions. You tend to remember the cases that reinforce the superstition more than the ones that don't, even though the latter far outnumber the former.

 

Despite the above tangent, I think anyone who is a little genre savvy could probably say the same as you have. But for me, whether something is predictable or not, the delight is in the details. Just because you foresaw the ending doesn't (well, shouldn't) mean that the journey to that resolution is lessened. The way things develop is generally unpredictable and enjoyable.

 

For example, Lesson Zero. We all knew there was no way Twilight was going to learn a friendship lesson on demand like that. It's still a great episode just because of how crazy Twilight started acting in her attempt to learn one. Predictable ending, but so much fun to see it play out.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Full Spectrum

[StormzInvader 127]

I have to agree that some of the episodes are quite predictable but enjoyable nonetheless! I would say that it is fine but then maybe they can make it a bit more exciting or unpredictable-ish. 

 

Think of it like Professor Layton... (I love those plot twists)

It would be cool if it is going to be like that, but it takes time to polish a story to make it as superb as The Unwound Future. (Best Prof. Layton game for me)

[Twinhead B 482]

So I realized that one thing I don't like about the show is that many of the episodes are wayyyyy too predictable. It almost ruins the episodes for me when I can already tell what the ending is gonna be at the very beginning.

 

For example, in the newest episode, I could tell right away that Spike was gonna end up having to give up all those gems that he got at the beginning.

 

Another example is the episode where Rainbow Dash had the competition to see who the best pet was, and it was really obvious that the turtle was gonna end up being the one she chooses.

 

I can't think of any more examples of the top of my head, but I know there were other examples.

 

Do you guys think a lot of the episodes are too predictable?

 

You're being critical of a cartoon that is meant to be both educational and for little girls. The episodes seem predictable to you because you've probably watched similar episodes in cartoons that came before it. Given the content and time restrictions, I seriously doubt the show writers can fit everything they want to put in the show in the alloted G-rated, 22-minute time limit.

 

However, the stories of MLP themselves aren't what make the show great, not alone anyway. It's the combination of the art, voice-work, and the little details each episode has that makes MLP stand above the rest.